“A single rose can be my garden . . . a single friend my world.” ~Leo Buscaglia

This morning, I had a chance to get together with a girlfriend I haven’t seen since last summer. It was so wonderful catching up. She had breast cancer a year after I did. Neither of us appear to be survivors–we are most definitely HUGE thrivers!

Since our cancer, we each continue to be called by Spirit to discover and live our passions, create community, and inspire others. Theresa shared with me how she continues to hear in her head the ideas of what she eventually wants to create–a place of community for women where each can develop, nurture, and share their creativity, along with her desire to work with textiles and design, create and refashion clothing.

Whether it was our cancer which woke us up or the fact that we are both in mid-life, it’s obvious that we are seeking ways to give voice to our authentic selves. Theresa shared that much of what she does right now is on behalf of her family. The work she and her husband each do offers financial support and benefits for themselves and their children. For now, she sees the importance and value of being able to provide that support through steady work. However, she is already laying the groundwork for what she ultimately wants to do–and it is NOT to climb the corporate ladder.

We shared how sometimes we each feel things are not moving quick enough, yet we found ourselves telling each other that everything is unfolding as it should. The important piece is to stay awake, aware, and remain willing to consider the possibilities.

She has a handful of women who share in some of what she dreams. When, and if, the time is right, they will find their way to be the beginning of the community she envisions. Everything in its time. For today, it seems what we needed most was the conviction and inspiration of a fellow traveler on the journey of life.

Theresa, I am so blessed to have you in mine. You told me today that I am an inspiration to you. The funny thing is that I feel exactly the same way about you. You light up my life with the endless possibilities of exploration and creativity.

Friends are an amazing gift!

Today’s message in Joan Borysenko’s “Pocketful of Miracles” seems appropriate to share as our hearts go out to all those who have been devastated by the recent earthquakes and tsunami.

“The same lifeforce that grows an oak from an acorn, a mountain from the earth’s molten core, a stream from the spring thaw, a child from an egg and a sperm, an idea from the mind of a human being is present in all things, all thoughts and all experiences. There is no place where [the Divine] is not.

“Divine Beloved, thank you for a new morning, a new body and a new mind. Help me see your Presence in all circumstances, good and bad, and to regard all situations as opportunities to learn to trust in love rather than to practice fear.”

I wish you love and peace today and every day. Namaste.

This is my 200th post–unbelievable! I hope you’ve enjoyed the depth and breadth of content as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing information and reflections of a passionate, bellisima life in progress. I look forward to the next 200!

Yesterday, I received DailyOM’s inspirational daily message, an online community whose mission is to nurture mind, body and spirit. I subscribe to their daily email messages and must admit that I don’t read them every single day. This message however begged reading. It is filled with great insights about how every single life is rich–filled with the gems of life experience, lessons, and insights. I’ve included the message in its entirety at the end of this post. The bottom line for me was a reminder that if we’re open, we can take in a little about the people we encounter even in such mundane circumstances as the grocery store line.

Coincidentally, I also had the privilege of being interviewed yesterday by my friend Jan Haas for her blog, The Present Path, regarding my “Mack Truck Life Experience.” Although I was the one telling the story yesterday, I’ve enjoyed getting to know Jan and hearing part of her incredible life story, which she is currently writing and expects to publish this year. Keep an eye out for “She Moved Mountains.” I know it’s going to be a profoundly moving, loving and healing book for many of us.

As Jan and I have discovered about each other, everyone has a story–actually we all have many, many of them which make up our lifetimes. All any of us have to do is ask and be open to listening for awhile. So, the next time you’re with someone, even a stranger, I hope you’ll take the time to learn a bit of their story. Who knows, it might even be exactly the message you need that day…

Everyone Has A Story
Interesting People Everywhere (FROM DAILY OM)

Bearing this in mind, we have the opportunity to approach the world around us in a new way. There is never any reason to be bored at a party, or on the bus, or in a conversation with a stranger. When we retain the spark of curiosity and the warmth required to open someone up, we always have in front of us the makings of a great story. All we have to do is ask.

Today, instead of being in my head with all the do’s and don’ts of living more eco-conscious, I found this video from The Secret Team which really gets to the heart of the matter. In order for our planet and all her inhabitants to be healed, we must first see it and feel it.

Here is the message which accompanied the video: “The Secret Team has created a gift for you. This clip features our beautiful Planet Earth. As you experience this clip you will emit positive forces of energy across Planet Earth that will reach every single living thing on it. You will lift yourself, and as you lift yourself, you lift the entire world.

From The Secret to you, here is Planet Earth – our home.”

Please take your time and watch this video from beginning to end–it is well worth it! As we count down to the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, think about what you can do differently over the next four years. What actions, what ideas, what innovations can you bring to life? We are all important–every person–so go ahead and get involved. FOUR YEARS. GO.

Lynne Twist Presents FOUR YEARS. GO. from FOUR YEARS. GO. on Vimeo.

Yes, today, March 27th at 8:30 PM local time throughout the world is Earth Hour. Will you participate for one hour to let the world know that you are part of the growing call for action to turn the tides of climate change?

Yesterday was my 100th post!! I just realized that this morning. How fitting to have that post be about support for our planet since my motivation for this blog has been and remains the care and keeping of ourselves and our planet so that we can all live with good health, vitality and vibrancy for centuries and eons to come!!

So, today on my 101st post, I leave you with two more Earth Hour videos. I hope you’ll join me and millions of others tonight to let our non-light be seen and heard throughout the world. It’s certainly possible to surpass a billion participants tonight!! Happy Earth Hour to all and to all a good night!!

In addition to the daily ritual posted yesterday, here are some other elements to include in your self-care routine throughout the week.

*Eat as many whole organic foods as possible. Nurturing yourself with foods that are whole, nutritional and pesticide-free is an important way to love yourself and the earth. As you prepare and eat your food, think about and feel gratitude for where it came from, what natural elements went into its creation (sun, earth, water), as well as the people who tended to the growth and distribution of that food. Prepare your foods in ways that allow you to take in as much of the nutrients as possible. Season your food with organic herbs and spices.

*Drink lots of water throughout the day, again feeling gratitude for the hydration water provides your body as well as your ability to access fresh, clean water to drink.

*Exercise on a regular basis. Movement and moving are essential to keeping our bodies erect, flexible and strong. Increased movement increases the blood flow through our bodies and it’s a great way to release any tension and anxiety we may be holding in our bodies. Sweating is also a great way to release toxins. Choose exercise modalities that make you feel enlivened and stay away from exercise that feels like drudgery or depleting of your energy. Yoga, walking, jogging (if this invigorates you), Pilates, dance classes, and martial arts are all wonderful ways to move your body.

Combining your exercise with time in nature, such as walking or doing tai chi outdoors, also allows you to connect with the beauty of the world in which we live and to experience that particular time of day as well as the time of year. The sun may be just rising or high up in the sky or beginning to set. The air may be cool and crisp or you may experience a warm breeze. Depending on the time of year, snow may still be on the ground or buds may be visible on trees and bushes and you may be able to hear the sounds of birds above. Whenever possible, take your exercise outside in order to combine your self-love and care with love of the natural world. Experiencing our connection with nature through as many of our senses as possible is life-affirming.

*Have fun! Connect with others. Play. Laugh. Do something that’s not related to work or home responsibilities. Go to a movie. Rent a movie. Meet a friend. Call someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile. Do activities that remind you to be light and carefree. It’s important to connect with that playful part of ourselves that we all knew intimately as young children. Although you may be all grown up, that child is still there waiting for moments to laugh, giggle, and be carefree.

*Since a bath requires lots of water and is not very environmental, take a foot soak. Enjoy a bath occasionally, but if you really love the feeling of soaking, foot soaks don’t require much water so they can be done as often as you wish. You can incorporate your foot soak into the time you are doing your writing, reading and visioning. A foot soak with some wonderful bath salts scented with essential oils not only helps detoxify your body, but it keeps you grounded and still. When I soak my feet, I don’t feel compelled to jump up and answer the phone. The foot tub keeps me in one place. The stones in my foot bath remind me that I am grounded and they help me relax my feet.

*When it’s time to do chores, find ways to enjoy them rather than go about them with a sense of dread. If it’s time to pay bills, tap into a sense of gratitude for the abundance in your life that allows you to pay them. If it’s time to clean house, find ways to enjoy it. Use essential oils in your cleaning supplies that make you feel good. Turn up the music and enjoy moving to the rhythm and sounds.

*When change is in the air, look at it through a different lens. Allow any change to be an opportunity. Acknowledge when events or circumstances are out of your control and focus on the part you can control–your response!

*Get plenty of rest and sleep. A 15-minute nap or a timeout from your daily routine will bring you a sense of calm and rejuvenation. If it’s not possible to disengage for a brief period of time, simply take a few moments to focus on your breath. Dr. Andrew Weil has three breath exercises that take very little time but provide big results.

*Above all else, ask yourself, “What do I need right now to care for and love myself?” Listen for the answer and then just do it! Nike’s slogan can serve us well!

Have a great weekend! Namaste. Ciao.

Thanks to my daughter, Frankie, Bellisima Living, LLC now has a logo. She has captured the look and feel I’d been hoping for.

It has been an interesting experience as we’ve navigated the relationships of mother-daughter and client-consultant simultaneously. Being my 14-year old daughter’s client along with being her mother was a bit of a challenge as I tried to convey what I wanted without really having a clear vision. I’m not a visionary–I have to see something first and work from there. I sought her ability to see things in her mind’s eye to help me depict the feeling and message I wanted to convey. For her, I know it’s been uncharted territory as she tried to get from me exactly what I wanted without me being able to describe the picture. I knew the elements I wanted and I knew some of the colors, but beyond that, I was a bit foggy. “What do you want the people to look like,” she’d ask. “I don’t know exactly,” I’d reply. “What do you think?” “Do you want them to have legs?” Again, “I don’t know.”

Fortunately, we moved beyond that dialogue to other conversations which led to much more clarity. As she began to draw, I was able to give feedback and contribute ideas. Ultimately, the synergy of our thoughts brought us to the place where a clear vision began to unfold. And although what Francesca (aka Frankie) ultimately created wasn’t exactly “her style,” it reveals her artistic “signature.”

My daughter is an amazing artist and I am proud to be able to have one of her creations as the image of my unfolding business.

Whether or not you were able to watch the Opening Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games last night and experience Sarah McLachlan’s performance of “One Dream,” here is a beautiful version of her song.

We all have gifts, talents, and dreams–may you discover yours! Shine and be all you’ve wanted to be!!

My mentor, Deb Roffe, of Summit Life Coaching, came across this video. As I watched it, I felt my heart expand and my mind soar. May you be equally moved and inspired! Have a bellisima weekend!